Improvement in wash-boilers



G. DE WITT.

.lmprovement in Wash-Boilers.

No. 129,540. Patented July 16, 1872.

MAM.

UNITED STATES.

ATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASH-BOILERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 129,540, dated July 16, 1872.

Srncmrcarron. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GABRIEL DE WITT, of Baltimore city and State of Maryland, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Wash-Boiler; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to that class of washboilers which are provided with an internal chamber having a discharge-pipe, through which the steam and hot water, when the boiler is in use, are thrown upon the clothes in the boiler, the chamber being provided with means for permitting the water discharged through its pipe to return again for the purpose of making the action continuous; and consists, mainly, in the employment of a submerged float adapted to close the opening through which the water returns into the chamber, as will be fully described hereinafter.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a side view of my improved apparatus, partially in section; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation; and Fig. 3, a partial plan view.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to decribe fully its construction and manner of operation.

Arepresents the boiler proper, which is constructed of any suitable material and of proper size. B represents the internal chamber, which is closed upon all sides, with the exception of the bottom. It rests, when in position, upon the bottom of the boiler A, and is preferably secured in place by means of flanges b, as shown. It is provided at one end with a discharge-pipe, b constructed in the usual wellknown manner, and at the other with the opening 12*, covered by the curved plate or cap If, as shown. 0 represents a submerged float, of woodor other buoyant material, which is loosely held in place below the opening b in the chamber by means of guides b b, which permit a free vertical movement.

The operation is as follows: Heat having been applied to the boiler, which, of course, should be supplied with water, and have the clothing to be washed placed therein in the proper manner, the steam generated causes a strong pressure to be exerted against the submerged float O, by which means it is pressed against the opening N, which is thereby efiectually closed. The steam and hot water, therefore, having no other outlet, are compelled to pass through the pipe N, from which they are discharged with great violen ce upon the clothes. This discharge, however, from the chamber b creates a vacuum, by which means the submerged float (J is drawn away from the opening b sufficiently to permit the water outside to flow into the chamber and fill the vacuum created by the discharge. This operation is necessarily continuous, the float serving to regulate the entrance of the water, and to compel the discharge of the steam through the discharge-pipe.

The described invention is exceedingly simple in its construction, and yet perfect in its operation. In practice it has been found to discharge the steam and hot water with great violence upon the clothes, by which means they are quickly cleansed.

It will be understood that the beneficial results of this invention arise from the fact that the steam and hot water by simple means are compelled to discharge themselves entirely through the discharge-pipe.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a wash-boiler, the combination of an independent submerged buoyant float with guideways and an opening in the chamber B, as described.

This speoification signed and witnessed this 20th day of June, 1872.

' GABRIEL DE WITT.

Witnesses A. BALLAUL, D. M. CLARKE. 

